Cheryl Foster

Cheryl Foster (born 4 October 1980) is a Welsh football referee and former player. She became the all-time record appearance holder for the Wales women's national football team in 2009, after making her senior international debut in 1997. At club level Foster spent nine years with Liverpool, playing in the first two seasons of the FA WSL in 2011 and 2012. She signed for Liverpool's FA WSL rivals Doncaster Rovers Belles in January 2013, before retiring later that season.

Playing career

Club career After starting her career at Conwy Devils, Foster moved to Bangor City and was the club's Northern Division top-scorer in every season from 1999–00 to 2002–03. She also represented the club in the UEFA Women's Cup.

In summer 2003 Foster joined an exodus of players leaving Bangor City for Liverpool. By season 2009–10, she was Liverpool Ladies' longest serving player. Foster and Liverpool teammate Kelly Jones joined FAI Women's Cup winners St Francis on loan for a 2010–11 UEFA Women's Champions League qualifying tournament in August 2010.

Foster had planned to retire at the age of 30 years, but changed her mind in order to play in the FA WSL. She then scored Liverpool's first goal in the new competition, helping them to a 3–3 opening day draw against local rivals Everton.

In October 2012 Foster was amongst ten players to be released by Liverpool. She signed for Doncaster Rovers Belles in January 2013. During the 2013 mid-season break Foster left Doncaster after struggling to balance the demands of travel and training with her career outside football. She announced her intention to start coaching and that she would consider whether to continue playing.

International career Foster represented Wales at youth level, winning five U16 caps, four U18 caps and scoring one goal in a single U20 appearance.

Her full debut was in 1997 Foster won a record 52nd cap in Wales's 2–1 defeat in Azerbaijan in October 2009.

In May 2014, the Football Association of Wales (FAW) recognised Foster's 63 appearances with the award of a golden cap at half-time of Wales' 4–0 win over Montenegro in Bangor.

International goals No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1. 25 May 2002 Ottensheim, Austria 1–? 1–1 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification 2. 14 March 2003 Lagoa, Portugal 1–1 1–1 2003 Algarve Cup 3. 16 March 2004 Albufeira, Portugal ?–? 3–2 2004 Algarve Cup 4. ?–? 5. 26 March 2006 Newtown, Wales 1–0 3–0 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification 6. 20 August 2006 Waalwijk, Netherlands 1–0 3–1 7. 18 November 2006 Strumica, North Macedonia 1–0 2–1 UEFA Women's Euro 2009 qualifying 8. 21 November 2006 4–0 6–0 9. 6–0

Refereeing After deciding not to extend her career as a player in 2013, Foster instead started training as a referee. She was an assistant referee at the 2013–14 Welsh Women's Cup final. In December 2015, during her third season as a referee, Foster was named on the FIFA international list.

On 18 August 2018, she became the first female referee to take charge of a Welsh Premier League game. In May 2023, she was named as the referee for the 2023 UEFA Women's Champions League final between Barcelona and Wolfsburg on 3 June 2023. On 9 January 2023, FIFA appointed her to the officiating pool for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Personal life From Llandudno, North Wales. Her parents Stephen and Christina Foster continue to be her biggest supporters alongside her two sisters. Foster is a Liverpool FC supporter

Honours Club Liverpool FA Women's Premier League Northern Division: 2003–04, 2006–07, 2009–10